Grand National: Positive news on Cape Gentleman and Recite A Prayer

Cape Gentleman will head to America to spend his retirement with owner Pierre Manigault having sustained a career-ending injury in the Randox Grand National.

Trained by John ‘Shark’ Hanlon, the seven-year-old was sent off at 100-1 for the Aintree marathon and was looking to follow in the footsteps of Sergeant Murphy who stormed to victory for Manigault’s great uncle, Stephen ‘Laddie’ Sandford in 1923.

Despite taking to the unique jumping test the famous spruce presents, Cape Gentleman struck into himself in between obstacles and was swiftly pulled up by jockey Jody McGarvey before the 14th.

Cape Gentleman was transferred to Liverpool Equine Hospital post-race and Hanlon has confirmed that although the gelding will not race again, he is set for what will be a happy retirement with his owner in South Carolina.

“He’s gone to the clinic in Liverpool and he will be operated on. His racing career is finished, but he will be saved,” said Hanlon.

“He will be coming back to me for five or six months and then he is going on to America to be retired with his owner.

“He is a very good owner and it is the first horse I have had for the man and we were all very upset yesterday. But he still had his head with him and he wanted the horse to live and said ‘we have plenty of land, he can have a good life over with me’. It’s a very good outcome.

“I would probably like to be out there myself because there is probably more sun than there would be in Ireland. I would say it is a good retirement and fair do’s to the man who owns him for allowing it to happen.”

Hanlon was also keen to stress how the injury sustained by Cape Gentleman had little to do with the race itself and was simply an unfortunate incident which could have happened anywhere – while also praising the veterinary team on-site at Aintree for their swift action and care.

“He stuck into himself, it wasn’t over a fence, he had jumped brilliantly,” continued the trainer.

“It happened on the flat and that could happen out in the field at home. It was nothing to do with the race, it could happen in your own field.

“The very minute the horse got hurt the vets were there with him. He was brought back into the stable yard, he was bandaged up and was in no pain and then taken to the clinic. From the moment the horse got his injury, the horse came first as it should.

The Irishman was also keen to condemn the animal rights activists who delayed the start of the National by almost 15 minutes.

Hanlon added: “It probably shouldn’t have happened (the protests), but listen you had thousands of people watching the Grand National and you had 150 eejits trying to stop it.

“That’s my thoughts on it and no matter what game you are at you are going to have begrudgers and those who don’t understand it. Definitely the people who were doing that yesterday don’t understand racing and don’t understand how these horses are cared for.

“Overall the last three days in Liverpool were absolutely brilliant and it is a credit to Aintree the way they had the ground and the way everything was done.”

Willie Mullins has revealed Recite A Prayer is fine after suffering a fractured eye socket while running loose during the Randox Grand National.

The 80-1 shot was a first ride in the Aintree showpiece for Jack Foley and the duo were one of the first to rise at the opening fence which was ultimately the only obstacle they would jump in unison in the contest.

Although Recite A Prayer cleared it perfectly, Cloudy Glen on the eight-year-old’s outer was less proficient, sprawling on landing and crossing the Closutton inmate’s path in the process – subsequently knocking Foley out of the saddle.

Recite A Prayer continued to run loose with the remainder of the field until just before Valentine’s on the first circuit where the gelding leapt the inside running rail and made his way to the Aintree infield.

“Recite A Prayer fractured his eye socket,” said Mullins on Sunday afternoon.

“They have done a little procedure on him in the Equine Hospital in Liverpool and I just got news that everything is OK with him. He has a few little cuts and bruises, but nothing more.

“He got loose on the inside and had to pull up where all the barriers were. That’s something Aintree are going to have to look at.”

Mullins also reported all of the other Closutton National runners to be in full health following their exertions on Merseyside.

“Gaillard Du Mesnil ran a cracker yesterday and jumped well,” he continued.

“He was very tired after the race, but he is fine. The same goes for Carefully Selected. Capodanno pulled up after getting very tired, it was probably just the lack of a run.

“Mr Incredible was unlucky, his saddle slipped. I didn’t really get a chance to talk to Brian (Hayes, jockey) yet. It didn’t look like he was going great but that’s Mr Incredible, he never looks like he is going great until the business end.”

Similar, however, cannot be said for stable jockey Paul Townend who is set for a few days on the sidelines following a fall from the ill-fated Dark Raven in one the precursors to the big-race.

He added: “Paul is very sore. He is arm is very sore after his fall from Dark Raven yesterday. He is going to take a day or two off.”